Provoked Vestibulodynia and the Health Care Implications of Comorbid Pain Conditions.

OBJECTIVE: Sexual pain secondary to provoked vestibulodynia (PVD) is a chronic pain condition affecting up to 16% of women. Women with PVD may report other chronic pain conditions. The goals of this study were (1) to identify the prevalence of self-reported chronic pain conditions in a sample of women with a diagnosis of PVD and seeking treatment, and (2) to compare demographic and clinical characteristics and health care needs of women with PVD alone and women with PVD and two or more self-reported chronic pain conditions.

METHODS: We assessed the characteristics of 236 women with PVD alone and 55 women with PVD and comorbid chronic pain using a standardized questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Pain Vigilance and Awareness Questionnaire, and the Female Sexual Distress Scale.

RESULTS: Compared with women with PVD alone, women with PVD and other concurrent pain reported a significantly longer duration of pain, pain radiating to other parts of the vulva, and pain interfering in a variety of daily activities. This group was also significantly more likely to have seen more gynaecologists, and to have had more office visits with their gynaecologist than women with PVD alone. They were more likely to have tried anticonvulsants, antidepressants, and stress/relaxation therapy for their PVD and were also more likely to have allergies and skin sensitivities. Finally, this group of women had higher symptoms of depression, trait anxiety, and showed a trend towards more pain vigilance.

CONCLUSION: Taken together, these findings suggest that physicians caring for women with PVD and concurrent chronic pain must be alert to the potentially greater health needs among this subsample of women.